escalated 1 of 2

as in increased
being at a higher level than average for a time there was an escalated interest in the historical figure following the release of the blockbuster biography

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

escalated

2 of 2

verb

past tense of escalate
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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of escalated
Verb
In the following weeks, however, the bizarre experiences escalated, and so did their outreach, including to the police, who were stumped too. Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025 The shootings follow a Free Press investigation that found 20% of department shootings in the past decade started with nonviolent stops and escalated with foot chases. Violet Ikonomova, Freep.com, 24 Oct. 2025 The endorsement would mark a reconciliation between the two longtime New York politicians, each of whom had escalated attacks against the other before Adams ended his campaign. Anthony Izaguirre, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025 The situation escalated in the fall of 2019, when Rogers called LaRue's daughter's school and claimed to be her father. Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 2025 The argument escalated, and Reese approached Stennis with a knife. Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025 What’s certain, however, is that the situation had escalated in a matter of days, according to local media. Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 22 Oct. 2025 And as immigration raids escalated in the spring of this year, fear began to cloud simple outings like family trips to the park. Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025 Tensions escalated further this week after Trump revealed new details about the latest strike in the region. Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalated
Adjective
  • The surface-to-surface weapon system provides the Joint Force Commander with increased range, lethality, survivability, and missile load out.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Miners argue increased subjection to the dust has led to an eruption of black lung, an incurable disease associated with inhaling the particles.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Buyers don’t want to be reminded of strong perfumes that resurface certain memories when touring a home, so rose scents of any kind should only be enjoyed after a homeowner is done touring their property.
    Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Expectations further rose over the course of the president’s trip to Asia, sources familiar with the matter told CNN, with the hopes that the deal would produce more than just a low-key touchpoint between the two world leaders.
    Betsy Klein, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Europe has been hungry for a homegrown alternative to Starlink, which dominates the sector — the service has been vital to Ukrainian troops in the war against Russia, and fears of a possible shutdown accelerated Europe’s space ambitions.
    J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2025
  • His extraordinary rise has only accelerated over the past 12 months.
    Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Clever Creature has been building its slate of international genre projects spanning horror, action and elevated cinema.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 Nov. 2025
  • Choose from a range of elevated colors, like this inky navy or a cheery scarlet hue.
    Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • But as the Chiefs’ lead swelled in the second half, Washington abandoned the run.
    Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Flat or oddly shaped sides mean the arils inside the fruit have swelled with juice, transforming the fruit's form.
    Sarah Garone, Health, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Since then, the social media star has expanded her participation in her hobby tenfold.
    Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
  • However, if these expanded incentives come through, the Stage 32 program could mean that there’s a ready-to-go crew base in Florida for when production does ramp up again.
    Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Cobra Kai star Tanner Buchanan readies for a STRONG Nation high-intensity workout class in Atlanta over the weekend.
    Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
  • This week, those effects point to cheaper short-term money, a debate about December, and a high premium on the Fed’s forward guidance.
    Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Regular exercise has eased her joint pain, boosted her energy and helped protect her bone health through menopause.
    Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Cooler-than-expected inflation data boosted investor optimism that the Fed will keep cutting rates to help the economy.
    Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Escalated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalated. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.

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